Your Thoughts on the Hero’s Journey
As you compose your personal essay, it’s helpful to keep in mind the “monomyth,” or “hero’s journey,” which is the universal human narrative of transformation. Every culture has it in some form or another as way of explaining and rationalizing change. Your personal essay does not need to focus on personal transformation, or even as a story. But as you write, consider how your essay will be read as a narrative.
What aspects of the monomyth will it include? What parts does it elide (i.e., leave out)? To avoid being a static character in your own story, you should think about what you have personally learned from the experiences or ideas you write about, or at the least, why they are important enough to you to write about at all. And then, consider whether you are going to share this knowledge and how, or if not, what will take its place in your narrative.
Directions
Write two paragraphs, the first about your response to the Hero’s Journey. In your second paragraph, explain some situation in your own life where you have undergone a similar transformation and how the hero’s journey can be used to characterize your change.
Grading
This is class discussion work for our online course. Please post your response as a comment. These are due by Sunday at 11:59 p.m. during the Week they are assigned, making this one is due 9/13/20. A complete response is worth up to 15 points.
In a hero’s journey by Christopher Volger it discusses the different stages that a person or character goes through in their trip/ journey. To be specific there are 12 stages in which the character goes through. The stages are ordinary world, call to adventure, refusal of the car, meeting the mentor, crossing the threshold, tesis allies enemies, approach the almost cave, the ordeal, reward, rode back, resurrection and finally return with elixir. There will always be a challenge for the better result of the character in the next stage. All steps are essential for the character’s finale.
I personally can’t see my life being told as the hero’s journey. If my life were to be told with that the stages that would mean me and going ups and downs but at the end of the day even though I’ve gone through challenges I will still be rewarded and have a good finale as well as be the “hero”. There are so many crazy scenarios in my life that I wouldn’t be able to pick one but if I’d have to it would be the time where I would move from two different countries many times so I struggle with languages. There are so many details that I can describe but to make it sure it was where I went from New York to Colombia and then from Colombia to New York several times. Obviously I struggled with both languages because I never got to learn at least one fully due to the constant traveling. I faced many challenges passed through stages just like the central ordeal as well as the reward.
In Hero’s Journey by Christopher Volger, it mentions the different stages the main character goes through throughout the story. There are twleve stages that the main character goes through while the story prpgresses. Each stage is needed to help the hero suceed in the journey. Throughout the story the character develops, evolves and changes their values to prepare for the journey. In the course of the story, the hero will find allies and enemies and these people will push him into the next stage. When the character completed the ordeal, they have the choice to return back to the ordinary world. In the end, the character gets a reward and time to start a new life.
There has been challenges that have shaped me into the person, that I am today. Each challenge has been equally hard and time comsumming. But they have all taught me life lessons and helped me become a better person. One challenge that I have faced is the college application process when I was asked to write a personal essay about myself. The process was complicated but the decisions helps me in the future. I was told that my essay wasn’t good enough and I needed to expand more. But because I was going through othet things in my personal life, it made it hard keep up. But I am happy that my couselor told me on what to expand on in my essay because I was able to get into the college of my choice.
In “A hero’s journey” by Christopher Vogler, he discusses the process of what happens to the main character and what they go through in a story or a movie, although the process can work for people too. Also, the process that he talks about is a twelve stage process where he says that every stage is essential for the development of the hero. The twelve stage process says how each stage he goes through gets him through the next stage where it helps the hero to learn throughout his journey. For instance, the hero starts in the stage of the ordinary world where one gets to know the hero plus identify with the hero before it starts its journey. The first stage is what pushes the hero to the second stage it is the call to adventure in which the hero has come across a challenge or a quest that he or she needs to handle. After this, the hero goes through the third stage called the refusal of the call is where the hero has insecurities and fears because of challenge or quest and that the hero isn’t willing to make changes. After this, there are nine other stages one and all stages are what brings the hero closer to the hero’s final reward because of the journey. Finally, each stage in the hero’s journey is a fundamental point for the story, for his win, and for him to come back purified or to the world.
In my life, I went through a similar transformation because during my freshman, sophomore, and junior year of high school, I was getting good grades. In my senior year, I took precalculus I wasn’t doing that well. To add on, I would listen to the teacher and try to understand, but I didn’t get it. I would ask the teacher to explain the questions to me even so I didn’t understand anything. Then when I would take a test, I would fail them as well as I would be so mad at myself because that was the only class bringing my average down. However, I started looking up videos to explain to me and did practice problems to get better. When I took another test, I got a ninety on the test then I continuously always got the nineties or more. Hero’s journey I can utilize to characterize my change since taking precalculus plus failing tests was the stage of the call of adventure since it was a challenge for me. Moreover, receiving good grades before senior year of high school is the ordinary world. Finally, I received good scores after putting so much determination to do better I had received a “reward” that was me getting good grades in precalculus plus bringing up my average.
“A Hero’s Journey” is the breakdown of a movie, story, etc, on what happens to the main character and what they go through. These are 12 stages, all very important to the development of the story and what the Hero learns as the story progresses. Each step is a push for the Hero to move into the next phase. For example, when the Hero is pushed out of their lives (the Ordinary World) , it is through the Call to Adventure, the message that tells them they need to embark on a journey. Following on his path, due to insecurities or problems, the Hero refuses his calling. This pushes him to Meeting the Mentor, who helps him cross over to the Special World to complete his journey. All of these events are impacted by one another. In the event that one of these stages is not fulfilled, the Hero’s Journey will not go as it should. For instance, imagine the Hero never met the Mentor who would help him get over his insecurities. Then the Hero would never get the courage and confidence needed to continue. Each of the steps in the Hero’s journey is essential to his story, his win, and return to his normal world.
After reading the text, I can see that if we were to apply this to our lives, I would essentially be classified as the “Hero,” being the main character of my story. Just like the stages described, I can see my life told in these steps. One specific moment was when I moved to this country. I was very scared, nervous, and honestly at the time, it seemed like a world I would never fit into. However, as time went by, I began to gain the confidence I needed with the help of one specific teacher I had my first school year in the country. Afterwards, I confidently moved about the school, and my new life. It was as if every problem I had encountered had led me to be better for the next phase of my life. Just like “The Ordeal” described in the text, I remember a time in middle school where it seemed that I could not be myself, but instead started to become someone I was not. It was as if everything I had worked for was being thrown away. But again, just like the Hero’s Journey, I was able to persevere and move on. I feel like the stages of the Hero’s Journey can be used to describe various times of our lives.
From my understanding of the “Hero’s Journey” I Feel like it was talking about the stages of life and what is bound to come with it. I feel this way because the hero’s journey starts of with the “Ordinary World’ and their role is to allow people to get to see the hero and get to know him before they start their journey. With that being said I took it as someone starting a new chapter or a spiritual journey and having to understand what is going to happen and that it’s all just part of achieving the end goal. I feel like them explaining the 12 stages was them give a brief explaining to me of why it so hard and why challenges come along the way when we are trying to start a new chapter in life. It like a literal step by step of how life goes in my opinion. Even though this reading may be fictional of some sort it still has to truth in it and it may help other realize certain thing when it comes to what we face in life now or in the future.
When it comes to my own life I do feel like I have experienced a similar transformation. I had the transformation when going into high school as a freshmen. In middle school I was a straight A student and I never really had any trouble with my school work but all that changed when I started high school. I started having trouble with majority of my class and I even did constant tutoring and even after school programs because it was something so new to me. It was such as challenge for me and it just seem to get harder and harder. I was literally failing at least one class each quarter until junior year. I was really tired and wanted to give up on school. I didn’t overcome that challenge until my senior year and I’m kind of happy I was able to graduate with a bang. I was on top of my grades and for the first three quarters I got nothing lower then an 80 and my last quarter I got nothing lower then an 90. I was so happy that I was able to get out that funk and show my teachers and the faculty at my school my true potential and who I really am academically. I just hope that I don’t go through the same thing starting my new chapter which is college.
The Hero’s Journey by Christopher Vogler is an outline of all the characters transformation through their journey to achieving all their goals. The characters have many characteristics and make many decisions throughout their journey of growth. At first, we get to know the hero and identify him before the journey begins. In this journey, there is a problem and that problem has to be solved. The hero must take big part to fix the problem. There are 12 stages that the characters have to go through in order to get from the ordinary world to the special world. The ordinary world tells us a lot about the hero such as the hero’s urges and problems while also showing us unique characteristics and weaknesses. The original world is the hero’s home. In order to solve the problems, the hero must enter the special world. The special world consist of the hero’s physical and emotional characteristics. In addition, the hero’s actions helps him grow more while traveling through the special world. In life we all go through many struggles and obstacles trying to reach our goals. As we all try and accomplish our goals, issues and problems may occur but never give up. Some of our challenges might cause fear to us but those fears should never stop us from trying. All the difficult stages we encounter help us build as an individual and helps us grow bigger and stronger. Life is filled with obstacles, changes, difficulties, and most importantly happiness to reach our end goal just like the hero’s journey.
When it comes to my life, I face many problems and challenges but I try to not give up easily because I have many goals that I want to accomplish. Although, those challenges may be hard to overcome, it always takes time. I learned that in life things are not always easy and you need to push yourself harder to get what you want. One challenge that I faced was when completing my college application. This process was hard because I had to make many wise decisions that would benefit me in the long run. Having to go from high school to college was not easy and many challenges was put in front of me. Knowing that I had to make rational decisions to get from one thing to another, the hero’s journey is very relatable.
Hero’s Journey is explained as a movie, well that’s how I saw it as. There are 12 stages, it’s a cycle that we all take if we dare to. The first few stages are located in the “Ordinary world” being yourself trying to find your way to who knows what the ordinary world isn’t gonna lead you to where you want to go. Your gonna have wake up calls, try to make a move but you just don’t until something kicks you. Like the movie narnia normal kids just doing the ordinary stuff and that it until they play around and end up in a different world. Off to the special world where the real deal happens. Facing challenges and doing stuff to face the evil wicked witch there are steps to this and having people aside to you to help. Your realize a lot of things in the place you discover yourself and when you get what you went for it dies out and you go back to your world. while reading this it really reminded me of the movie Narnia. The Hero might always have a reason to go back not all but some.
So far I don’t think i’ve hit my journey yet I really wished it started when I actually went in to college, more face to face kind of things. Being a freshman college student is my starting point, my ordinary point, I know there is much for me to come and that I will have a very long and stressful journey to come. I have a story in mind in how my journey will be. My friends being my sidekicks helping me get passed my classes when I need the, having them as my study buddies , my mentors will be my professors. For these four years to come my challenges will most likely be having my midterms and final exams but i will be ready for that. Multitasking will be another, I will soon start a job and will have to manage that while doing and handing in my work. At the end i will get my reward, I will get my degree and then its up to me. I either go back and just be a person working and living life or go out for more looking for other adventures.
In Hero’s Journey by Christopher Volger it focuses on a character who’s actions help transform them into their true self after facing battles. There are 12 specific stages that the characters have to face in order to get from the ordinary world to the special world. In the beginning of the ordinary world they go through the basic lifestyle in which they follow what is expected in society and don’t do anything different knowing that they secretly want change. There would be adventures and opportunities available to the character but that’ll mean they’ll have to face their fears and insecurities but its up to them to chose if they want to take the risk, if they don’t go for it they always end up questioning what life could of been. They tend to experience many challenges which help grow wisdom and converts them in to their future self, which also impact other peoples lives in the near future. This is a very detailed reading which can seem fictional but have many parts that relate to real life situations. For example we live in a world where everyone is the same and no one chooses to be different but will always looks back and wish they did. Another thing is we face many challenges in life which causes us to live in fear and creates insecurities that can affect our lives as a whole. All in all the stages that the characters face help them grow as individuals but they could be avoided, repeated or shifted depending on the needs of the person but it’ll still have an impact on their future.
When it comes to my life I’ve faced challenges that have helped shape who I am today. One of the most difficult one was having a family member in the hospital, I used to live an average life as a kid who always got straight A’s but during this moment it was hard to picture my future. I had options: speak up to your friends and get treated as what I thought would have been less than or act as if my life was normal like the rest of us. I sadly chose to be quiet and act as if everything was okay, it sucked because I had acted like my time wasn’t spent 24/7 in the hospital, and it affected my future in various ways because I felt bad for keeping things personal and I had to deal with the consequences. This affected me in the future because any little comment anyone could have made (nice comments or jokes) I had to act as someone who I wasn’t, it caused me stress and made me extremely sad in the inside because it made me regret my choices. All of this wasn’t helping me mentally and physically because I had no motivation to do school work/try in general, it was genuinely a draining and sad experience. Although it was a hard situation I didn’t let it get the best of me, I do wish I could go back and change some things but I fought through it. I went to school, worked hard and received just as amazing grades as I hoped, it was so hard but I did it. This comes to prove that your actions truly impact your life and Im so glad I didn’t let it get the best of me, I continued to strive and it has shaped me into who I am today because if I can get through that situation I can get through anything. Just like in a hero’s journey explains all of the challenges we face cause wisdom, help us grow into who we are today and impact our future.
The perspective of Hero’s Journey by Christopher Vogler, reunite Characters with special characteristics, functions, abilities, which one are involved internally with the Hero. Those character’s questions will involve to start the Journey and the circumstances that pushed him to do it. During the Journey, the characters gets involved, evolves and develops the values, reflections and attitudes that the hero must take for the Ordeal. In the course of the story, will define the archetypes, like allies and enemies. When the character has completed the ordeal and overcome the difficulties of the Journey, it must will make the decision to continue or return to the Ordinary World. In both cases, the character will have won the award. At present, cinematographic stories are developed by antiheroes. We can develop the Hero’s journey, skipping parts of this model, to turn it into a saga.
In my case, I would develop the functions of my characters in the distant future. The journey of our character evolves in that he feels common in the society, he decides to take a Journey to an extraordinary place, where no one knows him, facing the difficulties of living in a new world. On the way, he discovered that he is not the only one with that feeling, and that something important is about to happen, because the lifestyle he was living to will change dramatically. Our character will realize that just like in his world, he has a lot to learn. In this case, the characters will develop in the special world, but the audience will meet them in the Ordinary World and there will be no mentor, just a guide.
Okay Christina,
But what about you as the hero of your own journey? Where has it taken you so far? That is the more interesting story.
NOTE: Private response is visible only to instructors and to the post’s author.
The Hero’s Journey is a story outline of a character’s transformation throughout their journey to accomplish their goal. It is very common, most stories follow this outline/structure. This also applies to the lives of many people. I believe everyone will experience their hero’s journey sometime in life because I have! We approach many challenges throughout our lives, some that we avoid and then others that lead us through the journey. I have knowledge on this topic from high school and to come across it in college is fascinating. I believe that the Hero’s Journey is a significant and relatable English topic.
I, too, have undergone this transformation. I remember in high school ENG 12, I never had an issue writing about anything. However, it was college application time and we were told to write personal essays. I had my outline planned out and ready to write my essay. When I got home and ready to write, I automatically panicked. I found it weirdly difficult to write about a story about myself. I froze and began to cry because everything in my head was telling me that I couldn’t do it. So many small voices were in my head saying, “Give up”, “Why must you write about yourself to get into a college?”, “This isn’t worth it.” I cried even harder because I couldn’t believe all of these bad thoughts were just trying to discourage me so badly. Eventually, I reached out to my teacher and my parents about my breakdown and their words uplifted me. The next day, I realized that going to college was to further my learning and my future depended on that essay. I began the writing process, noticing that all I had to do was freehandedly write and formally edit after. I had my teacher revise and critique my essay. I thought back to myself and was shocked at how negative I was. Life comes with challenges, some that aren’t drastic but affect you.
The hero’s journey actually displays the points in everybody’s life’s as we live.We all are aiming for a goal in our life’s which always brings challenges and we often be stubborn to acknowledge what we should follow to get there, for example the call which is to tell the hero or person what they should do or how they should do it, it brings fear and insecurities unto ourselves. Then we finally answer that call, their is another step that comes along that saves us from our fear, that is the mentor or companion that gives you guidance throughout your difficult times which encourages a person to carry one with life or their assignment. Life is a cycle of challenges, guidance and happiness to reach our goal, like the hero’s journey.
I experienced the same transformation when I was in high school in Guyana. I was always the student that does all her homework,test,help students out.I was nerd basically, never wanting to do anything fun that would jeopardize my work. It was time for the election of the student counselor and my friends we’re forcing me to become a secretary every single day until I run for the position and won.My guidance in the situation was my mother and my English teacher. The hero’s journey can characterize my change because I was just a person, who knows her strength but then got a call I didn’t’ wanted to answer which is being a secretary then I got the guidance from my parents and teachers. After I realized and said it wouldn’t be that bad, I became the secretary.I went through every step the hero went through so I can say the hero’s journey can characterize my change.